free speech is protected but not to the same extent we have a famous phrase i think its english but i could be wrong which goes free speech does not give you the right to shout fire in a crowded theater inciting murder or racial hatred is not protected under free speech nor is racially abusing someone in the uk you can go to prison for calling a black guy a nigger now with regards to the article i think its mostly political lip service to something which has been in the media a lot of late there have been outbursts of rape threats on social media mainly against feminist campaigners the new laws give harsher sentences but dont give any cover to how one might track down someone saying these things any tech savvy hater will still be able to threaten with impunity